Stay With Me
by leoslady4ever
Summary: Lucy had never considered a love with Laxus, until the day he died saving her life. Now, he haunts her thoughts with dreams of what might have been, and unable to move forward, she finds herself going back, learning everything she can about the man who, out of love, gave his life for her. Soon she realizes, his one sided love, may not be so one sided after all - W/ Deathsembrace137
1. Story Of A Broken Heart

_Well, my lovelies, I had no intention of actually starting another story. This was supposed to be a One-Shot, but the angst has driven me to make it a full length story. Now, I have the pleasure of informing you that **Deathsembrace137** will be joining me on this one! So, look for her on the next chapter! I'm so excited!_

_The inspiration for this story came from a beautiful, heartbreaking picture drawn by **Approvesport** on Deviantart. Look in A/N at the bottom for more info on the pic._

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_**Hiro Mashima** owns Fairy Tail._

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**CHAPTER 1: STORY OF A BROKEN HEART **

I awoke with a start, calling out his name, my hand reaching out for him, searching the space above me in vain. Of course he wouldn't there, but the dream had been so vivid that I couldn't help believing for that small fragment of a moment. I choked back a sob as reality set in, reminding me of what had happened.

It had been a week since everything went wrong. Seven days, since my life had changed forever. Seven days of living with an ache inside me that no amount of time could ever cure, no alcohol could ever dull, and no sleep could ever erase. I was broken, and I didn't know if I would ever feel whole again.

_A week ago, the guild had been attacked, mages coming out from every direction, too many to count in the heat of battle. We'd had no warning, and more than half of the guild had been out on missions. Master had been away at the monthly guild master meetings. From my own team, Erza had been sent on an S-class assigned by Makarov, Gray had joined Juvia on a mission, and Lisanna had finally gotten her alone time with Natsu, the two of them out on a job several towns away. _

_Needless to say, when the attack came, we weren't ready, many falling, taken by surprise in the initial surge. We had rallied quickly, fighting back with all we had. Somehow, I had ended up fighting next to Laxus and the Raijinshuu, each of us against a corresponding dark mage from the other side. My nemesis had been some kind of plant mage, with a wide array of forms for his magic, and I'd called out Taurus, thinking his ax would work well against the spurred vines the man continuously shot out at me, and Virgo to take care of the ones the mage sent at me from beneath. _

_Things were going well, until another mage joined him, adding some sort of acid to the mix, and Taurus was sent violently back to the Spirit World. Before I could pull out another key, Virgo was taken out with a blast from the new mage, his attack eating away at her as she faded away. I cringed as the plant mage took that opportunity to launch multiple barbed vines in my direction. I knew this was the end. I knew it as sure as I knew my name was Lucy._

_I braced myself, and in the next instant I was swept off my feet and slammed unceremoniously to the ground, a weight falling atop me a second later. I opened my eyes in enough time to see Laxus above me, before the vines hit us. Rather, they hit Laxus, as he had covered my entire body with his own._

_I watched in horror as the pointed barbs pierced his body, pushing through his flesh like he'd been made of paper. "No!" I screeched, as his eyes closed in pain, the sky continuing to rain the cursed plants around us. _

_It was more horrible than anything I could have imagined, watching as he shook above me on weakened arms. He slumped against me, no longer able to hold his body up, and I cried, "Laxus, stay with me." I needed to get someone to help him, but I knew it was likely impossible with the battle still going strong. "Somebody help me!" I screamed out, as he continued to stare down at me._

_He lifted his hands to cup my face, as if he was telling me it was okay, but it wasn't okay. He'd taken the hit that was meant for me. It should be me dying, not him. I shook my head at him, but I could find no words to say. I knew he wasn't likely to pull through this, but I fought against the belief. I watched as he opened his mouth, struggling to speak._

_He seemed to realize his time was short, and he swallowed hard, gasping those last words, "I...love...you...Lucy." I felt like someone had punched me in the gut, as my mind finally caught up with his words. He loved me. This strong, brave, foolish man loved me. I didn't know what to say. I didn't love him, but he had saved me. He had sacrificed his life for mine. How could life be so cruel?_

_He leaned down, his unsteady eyes on my mouth, and I knew what was coming. I knew, but I didn't stop him. As much as I had never considered him for a place in my heart, I couldn't turn him away. His head stopped halfway down, his face grimacing in pain, as his body refused to move any further, and I bit back a sob and leaned up to meet him, pressing my lips to his in the most achingly heartfelt kiss I'd ever known._

_He deserved all I could give him here in his last moments. If this was what he wanted most on his way out of this life, I'd make sure it was everything he'd ever dreamed it would be. I'd love him with my kiss, if nothing more. It was all I had to give him._

_A tear slipped down his cheek, brushing my face as my lips trembled against his. I had been fighting a losing battle against my tears, but one touch of his sadness brought them forth with a vengeance. I broke from the kiss, my head dropping onto the ground in defeat, even as I prayed for a miracle. I looked up to see his eyes open and a small smile flit across his face, before everything went blank, and he was gone._

I sat up in my bed, hugging my knees, as the tears I kept trying to staunch made a steady track down my face. I couldn't handle this, this tightness in my chest, the almost constant lump in my throat. How could I possibly face life like this?

It was a strange sensation, pining for a man you never loved, aching for one more chance to hear his voice. How could my heart feel so broken? I'd never even considered the two of us together, yet I couldn't forget how he'd looked, hovering over me, his breathing stilted around the spikes littering his body. He fought for every breath he took, but his one thought was of me, loving me.

I knew logically that it made no sense for me to miss a man I barely knew, but something about him stuck with me, pushing and pulling at me in a way nothing but my mother's death had ever done. I felt like I had lost him, but how could I lose something I never had? My mind refused to see the truth of that, refused to acknowledge that this shouldn't be so devastating for me. So, here I was mourning him.

The sound of the rain swelled, the drops pounding down on my rooftop, and I sighed, looking up at the ceiling in anguish, for once feeling a sense of commraderie with the weather. It understood me; it was like the sky ached with me, crying with me when I could tell no one else what was wrong.

My heart was screaming out for something I didn't understand. It wasn't like we had spent much time together, but it didn't seem to matter. I didn't want him to disappear from my life. I wanted him to stay, to be here so I wouldn't feel so empty, so cold. And how selfish was that?

Some part of me argued that this was ridiculous. I'd never felt his arms around me, but I'd tasted his kiss. I'd never held his hand, but I'd had him pressed tightly against me. I'd never heard him whisper goodnight, but I'd listened as he told me loved me. There were so many things I'd never done with him, and that should have made it easier to let go. But it didn't. The fact that I had missed out on all that only seemed to make it worse.

It was like there was a hole inside me now, some missing piece that I'd lost that day, and I didn't know how to get it back. I laid back down, pulling a pillow close, clutching it in my arms, wishing it was a giant blonde haired man with a cocky attitude and an embrace I knew would feel so safe. A broken cry slipped from my throat as my mind flashed backed to the way our lips felt pressed together.

Lightning crashed outside my window, the thunder rising in volume to match my wails as I poured out my soul to the empty room, praying for exhaustion to take me again to the one place I could hear him say he loved me. I wanted him back. I wanted it with everything I had inside me. I wanted to know what it felt like to snuggle against his massive chest, to have his arms around me, to tangle my hands in his hair and kiss him with every ounce of passion I could muster.

I wanted that. I wanted him back, and I wasn't even sure why. I hadn't known him well, but somehow, I felt like I knew him now. We hadn't had long conversations while gazing into each other's eyes. We'd had that one moment when our eyes met, and it felt like he had touched my soul.

It had taken losing him to realize...he was the one thing I never knew I always wanted.

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_**A/N: Well, that just about tore my heart out. I know it was the same for all you other LaLu shippers. Stay tuned for the next chapter coming to you, courtesy of Deathsembrace137! **_

_**The site won't let me add the link itself, so go to Deviantart and check out Approvesport's pic titled, "Should've told you my feelings sooner"**_


	2. Deathsembrace137's Chapter - 2

**~~~~AUTHOR'S NOTE~~~~**

Okay, so for **Chapter 2**, so check out **Deathsembrace137**'s page!

*******_It wouldn't let me post the whole link so add the site address for fanfiction before what you see below_*******

Add website address before this:** s/9475536/2/Stay-With-Me**


	3. Come Back To Me

_Thanks to you all for following and favoriting this story. It means the world to us! Don't forget that next chapter will be posted on **Deathsembrace137'**s page! _

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_**Hiro Mashima** owns Fairy Tail._

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**CHAPTER 3: COME BACK TO ME**

_Laxus was alive_._.. The words repeated in my head, but my mind still refused to fathom their meaning. It was like trying to swim through quicksand; I could see freedom just waiting for me, but I couldn't seem to figure out how to get there. I just couldn't believe it could be true._

_How could he be alive? I'd seen him die. I'd felt him die. His body had collapsed on top of me. How could they possibly expect me to believe I had mistaken seeing the light die in his eyes._

_"He's alive?" I whispered, somehow thinking if I spoke the words too loudly, someone would tell me it was lie, and I wanted so desperately to believe he'd survived._

_Master smiled that same kind smile at me, and confirmed, "Yes, Lucy. He's alive."_

_I felt a flash of happiness and immense relief before doubt flooded my mind. Why weren't they dragging me off to see Laxus, if he was alive? I searched his face, as well as Freed's, for any hint of deception, some sign that they hadn't told me everything. I found it there in Freed's eyes, the reason it was too soon to celebrate. Something was wrong._

_"There's something you're not telling me," I stated, looking between them for the answers._

_The elderly man nodded toward Laxus' best friend, giving permission for him to enlighten me, and then Freed leaned closer, taking my hand in his and explained, "He's alive, but he's in a coma. Wendy and Porlyusica have done everything they can do, but they're unsure when he will wake up."_

_My stomach knotted at his words. I felt like I'd just gotten him back and he'd already been stolen away again. He was still in danger. I could still lose him. "What does that mean? How long could it take?" I asked softly, as dread crept its way through my body. I had a bad feeling about this._

_"There's no way to be certain. It could be days, weeks, months," Freed answered, his voice faltering as he finished, "years."_

_"Years?" I asked in horror. No, this couldn't be happening. My heart ached at the thought of him laid up in a bed for so long, his strong body wasting away, his mind trapped from the world, unable to break free. A lump formed in my throat as tears clogged my eyes again, and I fought to keep them at bay, but they slipped out anyway. _

_I was devastated. There was no way to describe the pain slicing through me. I tried to remind myself that he was alive, that there was hope, but I just felt so broken, so overwhelmed by everything that had happened. It was like my life had become a whirlwind of emotions that I didn't understand. I just couldn't make sense of everything I felt anymore._

_"I-I need to see him," I cried, struggling to climb from my bed, my legs faltering as I stood to my feet. _

_Steady arms caught me as I fell, and I looked up into the red eyes of Gajeel. "You should lay down, Bunny Girl," he offered quietly._

_"No, I don't want to lay down." I shook my head, pushing my legs to hold my weight, and I let out a broken sob as they once again buckled beneath me. "Y-you can help me. You can take me there," I pleaded, as I cast a hopeful look at him._

_The stern dragon slayer turned his head away at my suggestion, his face showing his reticence at denying my request, and I pressed, my voice raising in pitch as I begged, "Gajeel, please. Just take me there. I won't be any trouble, I promise."_

_"I can't...here take her Freed...I can't do this," he murmured, his voice soft as he shook his head in apology and stepped out of the room._

_I immediately turned to the green-haired man, "Freed, please. You know I have to go. I have to know he's okay."_

_"Laxus is going to be just fine. He's the strongest man I know," Freed answered, his voice calm as he attempted to ease my mind. He led me to the bed, taking most of my weight, before gently setting me back down, saying, "Lucy, you need to rest. You're in no condition to go anywhere right now."_

_Looking over at Master, I felt my hopes plummet again, my head dropping as I realized that he wasn't going to help me either. Why couldn't they understand? "Please. He has to know that I'm there! He needs me! I can't stay here and sleep when he needs me!" I wailed, as I looked up at them again, "He was there when I needed him. I can't let him down!"_

_Master reached out a hand to pat my shoulder comfortingly, his mouth turning up in a sad smile, "My girl, you can't ignore your health. Your body is exhausted. You can see him after you get some sleep."_

_I turned away, curling myself into a ball and let the tears fall silently, clutching my legs to myself as I retreated. I didn't want to be here, but I'd never get to Laxus on my own, and they wouldn't take me. I couldn't care less about resting. I wanted to see him. I needed to know he was still here, that he hadn't left me all alone. I waited for them to leave, holding it all in until my house was quiet once again, and then I let go, giving voice to my pain._

I laid there in bed, praying for sleep to take me again, but it was useless. It seemed all my prayers lately had fallen on deaf ears. I wiped my eyes, and pulled myself over to my dresser, dragging on some yoga pants and a large off the shoulder t-shirt. It was ironic how much more comfortable I was in these clothes than what I normally wore. I just felt different now.

Slipping on some simple running shoes, I left the house, not caring that it was 2 o'clock in the morning or that the rain was still coming down. I just wanted to see Laxus, and I didn't feel like waiting for everyone else to be there. They wouldn't understand how I felt right now. How could they, when I wasn't entirely sure myself?

There wasn't a soul out on the streets as I made my way to the guild. It was like this every night when I made this trek, and as I reached out to grasp the handle, the door swung open. Makarov offered me a tired smile, and stepped aside for me to enter, both of us silent as I walked past him and up the stairs to the infirmary. A few moments later, I heard the door shut and lock, and I was alone with Laxus.

I entered his room, heading straight for the lone bed in the center of the room, and brushed the hair off of his forehead. My heart clenched at his still form, and I blinked furiously as tears welled up in my eyes again. "Hey Laxus," I said, as I unfolded the blanket at the foot of his bed and pulled it over him. I'd noticed over my last few visits that he seemed to get colder at night, and I hated the thought of him in discomfort, so it had become a routine. I'd come in, tell him hi, and then fix his covers.

Trudging over to the corner, I grabbed the chair, dragging it right up next to his bed and dropped myself into it. I reached out and touched his hand, my finger just barely grazing his skin as I spoke, "I'm still having trouble sleeping. It's weird you know? I can't relax and rest. Freed says it's because I worry too much. I suppose that's true, but I can't help it. I just...I just wish you'd wake up."

I paused as I took his hand in mine, holding on tightly, before continuing, "I wish you would just squeeze my hand, so I know you're in there, hearing me somehow." I sat there hopelessly waiting for him to flex his fingers, and my eyes burned as his hand remained unmoved. "I...I miss you," I mumbled brokenly, and then ridiculed myself with a bitter laugh, "God, I sound so stupid, don't I? I've barely even spoken to you, and I keep going over those few conversations, just so I can pretend I hear your voice again."

"Please wake up, Laxus," I whispered, bending over to lay my face against his leg as my tears slipped down my cheeks to wet the blanket, "Don't leave me here like this. I don't know how to do this, how to feel about you now." I stared up at his face, willing his eyes to open, to flutter, anything to let me know he wasn't lost to me. A wave of sadness washed over me and I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat as Freed's words came back to haunt me...years.

I shook the errant thought away, determined to ignore the possibility for as long as I could. I didn't want to believe that, refused to imagine being without him for so long. "I couldn't believe it when you told me you loved me. I never had a clue, and I didn't know what to say to you. You'd just saved my life and you were..." I said, stumbling over the dreaded word, "d-dying, because of me. Why did you do that, Laxus? Why did you save me? It should have been me here in this bed, not you. I'm so sorry."

A sob slipped from my mouth as guilt flooded my being, and I cried. It wasn't right for him to be so still. He should have been up, tossing stern looks at all our friends, while he acted far older than his real age. He should be pushing Freed off of him, as the man cheerfully attempted to hug him. He should be awake, looking down at me, as he said he loved me again.

I sobbed quietly beside him, as I mourned all the things he'd be doing if he hadn't stepped into the path of that attack. I cried for what might have been if I'd known he cared for me before all this happened, and for this horrible ache in my chest that never went away.

"Laxus, open your eyes, please. You can't be gone now that I have so much to tell you," I implored, praying he would hear me, wishing with all I had, that he would open those blue eyes and look at me again. "There's so much I want to know, and you're the only one that can tell me. How long have you loved me? Why didn't you tell me before? Why didn't you ask me out?"

Releasing a sigh, I settled in closer, pulling my feet under me, and whispered, "I wish you could hold me right now." I lifted his hand to my face, letting it rest over my cheek, his warmth seeping into me through the small connection. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to pretend he had woken up and placed his hand there.

A tear slid down my face as my imagination failed. I just couldn't deceive myself. I nuzzled into his hand, holding it close even as my heart held on tightly to the hope of him coming back to me. "Fight, Laxus," I commanded tearfully, "Come back to me."

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**_A/N: I hate that Laxus is in a coma, and Lucy kills me :(_**


	4. Deathsembrace137's Chapter - 4

**~~~~AUTHOR'S NOTE~~~~**

Okay, so for **Chapter 4**, so check out **Deathsembrace137**'s page!

*******_It wouldn't let me post the whole link so add the site address for fanfiction before what you see below_*******

Add website address before this:** s/9475536/4/Stay-With-Me**


	5. You Don't Understand

Here you lovelies go! Thanks for reading our story! And look for the next chapter on **Deathsembrace137**'s page in about a week! Love you guys!

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**Hiro Mashima** owns Fairy Tail.

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**CHAPTER 5: YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND**

"Luce, why won't you talk to me?" Natsu whined from behind me.

I cringed at his tone and continued on towards a bench and sat down. I was eager to get on the train and head back to Laxus. I wished to do so in silence, but unfortunately Natsu couldn't seem to grasp that I needed him to go away. I just couldn't deal with him at the moment, and the more he pushed, the more distance I wanted to put between us.

"Luce, don't be mad," he tried again, as he plopped down to sit beside me.

I pointedly ignored him, gritting my teeth in anger at his persistence, as Gray snapped, "Stop being so damn annoying, Natsu. It's obvious she doesn't want to talk to you, so just leave her alone."

"Why don't you stay out of it you Ice Freak!" the pink-haired man fired back, forgetting about me for the moment.

I breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking Gray for his distraction and dropped my head into my hands, my gut clenching in worry. I had been gone all day, with no news of Laxus, no way of knowing if he was still stable, if he had awakened, if he needed me. I hated having to leave him, but I still had bills to pay. If I let myself get behind, I'd have to be gone even longer to get caught up.

And now, because of my over-enthusiastic partner, I'd have to leave again tomorrow or the next day. Another job, another day away from Laxus. I didn't know if I could do it. I'd felt on the verge of throwing up all day, my concern for him souring my stomach, stirring up a nearly constant sensation of nausea.

"Are you both fighting?" a sharp voice asked, and I looked up to see Erza leveling them with a stern expression.

"No ma'am!" Natsu quipped, jumping up to throw his arm over Gray's shoulder, only for Gray to shrug him off and push him away.

The ice mage turned to Erza, pointing at the slayer, and pronounced angrily, "Yes, we are fighting, because this idiot won't leave Lucy alone."

The equip mage glared at Natsu, and he shrunk in on himself as she yelled, "It's your own fault she's angry at you. You cost her, all of us, most of our reward."

"Hey, it's not like I meant to do that!" he argued throwing his hands up in the air.

"Like that matters!" Gray spat, thumping the fire mage's forehead.

Natsu launched out of this seat, his fist flying out at Gray's face, and just that fast, the two were trading blows. I could see Erza's temper rising, and mine was just about to meet hers. It had been a long day, and I felt like shit, and the reward was all but gone, and now this. I'd had it. "Enough!" I shouted.

All eyes turned to me, and I stood to my feet and just exploded, "I have had it! I left Laxus for a whole damn day just so I could do this job and pay my rent. My nerves are shot because I have no idea if he's okay, there's no rent money, which means I'll have to leave again on another job. Can we just get on the damn train and go the hell home?!"

They all stared at me with wide eyes, each of them seemingly shocked at my outburst, but no one said a word. I sighed, dropping myself back on the bench again. I was so damn tired, but I knew there'd be no sleeping on the train. Lately, I couldn't seem to sleep unless I was sitting with Laxus.

My team mates huddled around my bench in blessed silence, and I thanked my lucky stars for the gift. I had no wish to talk right now. I just wanted to get back to Laxus. I needed to know that he was okay, that nothing had happened to him while I was away. I knew that Freed would take care of him, after all, he'd been there for Laxus for years now. I guess I just had to see him for myself.

Finally the announcement came, and we loaded ourselves back onto the train, Gray sitting beside me and Natsu and Erza occupying the seat across from us. All was quiet for several minutes, as we hurdled down the tracks toward home, until Erza spoke up, "Lucy, are you okay?"

I looked across at her and sighed, "No, I'm not. I just need to get back so I can check on Laxus. I'll be better then."

"Luce, he's gonna be fine. He's Laxus," Natsu offered brightly, his face smiling easily with not a hint of worry.

I didn't know how he could do that, just assume that everything would be fine. In my life, I'd seen enough bad things to know that things don't always work out the way you hope they will. I'd lost my mother, my father had turned cold, and then I'd lost him too. After that, I couldn't just assume that Laxus was going to pull through. I'd seen far too much to do that. "You don't know that, Natsu. No one can know that," I answered quietly, turning to look out the window.

"Sure I do! Laxus would never leave us like that," he argued calmly, sounding far more certain than anyone had a right to be.

I could feel myself getting angry again, and this time, I finally knew what was bothering me. I knew that sometimes we lose people we care about, sometimes bad things happen to people who don't deserve it, and here he was, just spouting all this stuff, like the good guys would always win. He was trying to build up my hope, and I couldn't take any more of it. I couldn't let him build me up, only to lose Laxus again. I didn't think I could take it.

"I know you're just trying to help, but could you just stop? Just...stop," I told him, as a tear streaked down my cheek. I didn't want to hear any more.

"But Luce," he tried again, his face confused at my reaction, "Everything's going to work out fine. It always does."

And that was it. _How could he be so naïve?_ Most times, I thought his optimism was a good thing, a way to encourage people in tough times, but now, I needed him to grow up. If Laxus died, it would be devastating to me, and Natsu couldn't seem to understand that I couldn't think happy thoughts. I was too raw.

"Natsu, do you even hear yourself? My mother died. My father died. How can you sit there and say everything works out? How can you say that to me?" I cried, tears pouring down my face as I thought about all I had lost already.

His mouth opened and closed for a moment in reaction, but I could see from his face that he was still a bit lost about my reaction. "I don't understand why you're so sad. He's one of the strongest guys in our guild, Luce. He's not gonna die," he replied softly.

"Natsu, you need to stop," Gray growled, reaching out to put his arm around my shoulders.

"He already died once! How can you not see why I'm sad? He could die, Natsu. He could lay there for the rest of his life and never wake up. Do you get that?" I screeched, my voice raising in my frustration.

"That's not going to happen. He's going to beat it," he continued, his assurance of Laxus future completely intact. He tipped his head to the side, his face showing seriousness and uncertainty, as he asked, "Why are you so upset, Lucy. I mean, we all care about Laxus, but you're really freaking out. Why? You and Laxus didn't really spend a lot of time together before all this."

My face paled and I sobbed, because I knew he was right. We hadn't spent time together, and the guilt of that kept eating away at me. Laxus had loved me, enough to die for me, and I'd never even known. I'd never taken the time to know him, to really open my eyes and see who he was. He deserved better than that. He deserved better than me. "I know," I whispered sadly as I pressed my face into Gray's shirt.

His arms came around me tightly, clutching me against his chilled body, as he tried to calm me, "Shh...Lucy. It's okay. We'll be home soon."

Erza shook her head, and commanded, "No more, Natsu. Just leave it alone. Let her rest."

We made the rest of the ride in silence, the only sound my shuddering breaths as I fought to get myself back in control. I closed my eyes and fought against the worry climbing up my throat again. My fight with Natsu had pushed it to the back of my mind for a while, but as the conversation fell apart, my fear again made its appearance. I hoped we'd get there quickly, because this had been a disaster, and I felt far too exposed here.

I didn't know what I was going to do now. I still had to find another job, but I didn't want to do another group one for a while. I was still angry at Natsu for costing me my rent, and making me have to leave Laxus again. I wasn't ready to make up and play nice with him just yet, and that made me even sadder. He was my best friend, and I wanted him to understand what I was going through, but he didn't.

Everything was so black and white to him. As many times as we had seen bad things happen, I couldn't fathom why he found it so hard to grasp everything that worried me. _Why did he not see that anything could happen to Laxus?_ _That I just wanted to be with him every second I could, just in case he never woke up?_ I didn't want to miss a moment, not after missing out on so much because of my ignorance. I could have had so much time with him, but now, all I had were these moments, and I wanted every single one.


	6. Deathsembrace137's Chapter - 6

**~~~~AUTHOR'S NOTE~~~~**

Okay, so for **Chapter 6**, so check out **Deathsembrace137**'s page!

*******_It wouldn't let me post the whole link so add the site address for fanfiction before what you see below_*******

Add website address before this: **s/9475536/6/Stay-With-Me**


	7. Tell Me Everything

_Thanks to my co-conspirator **Deathsembrace137** for working with me on this story. Check her page out for the last chapter! Hope you enjoy this new chapter!_

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_**Hiro Mashima** owns Fairy Tail_

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**CHAPTER 7: TELL ME EVERYTHING**

I awoke slowly to the sound of voices off to my side, one male and one female, and though the two sounded familiar, I couldn't seem to pull myself completely out of slumber to determine who had arrived. I lay there somewhere between sleep and wakefulness and allowed the conversation to coast over me, its pull gentle like the last bit of a wave against the shore.

"You think she slept here?" the woman asked, her tone holding both shock and wonder.

The man with her answered quietly, "Freed said she's stayed here every night since it happened."

"She looks exhausted," she mused.

"Yeah, I don't think she's been sleeping much," the male agreed.

I pushed against my weariness, trying to wake up completely, but my body was tired and refused to comply with my wishes.

"She hasn't been eating either. Freed's had to remind her nearly every day to take care of herself," the woman whispered, and I finally recognized her voice. _It was Evergreen, but why would she sound so worried about me?_

"I guess we should wake her up. It'll be time for her to leave with Freed soon," said her companion, and his identity was easier to figure out now that I had realized who the woman was. _Bixlow._

Slowly, I blinked my eyes, the hold on me finally releasing, and I sat up with a sigh. "It's okay...I'm up," I croaked.

Turning, I found two sets of eyes watching me and suddenly, I felt slightly uncomfortable. Here was two more people who had known how Laxus felt about me, two people I had almost no interaction with before now. I wasn't sure what to say to them, how to start even the simplest of conversations.

"Sorry," I muttered as I stood to my feet, busying myself with folding my blanket to put away, "I'll get out of your way in just a second."

"You're fine," Evergreen spoke quickly, "You don't have to rush away."

I turned what I knew had to be a surprised look at her, before looking down, not knowing what to say. I made my way back to Laxus, pulling off his extra blanket, taking only a moment to fold it and place it at the foot of his bed.

"Why did you do that?" Bixlow asked, moving to the other side of Laxus's bed.

I lifted my head, returning his gaze, and explained, "Laxus gets cold at night, so I always give him an extra blanket, but he gets too hot during the day if you leave the second cover on."

Evergreen stepped up beside her team-mate, giving me a small smile and asked, "You noticed something like that, even when he couldn't tell you?"

"The first night I...stayed here, his hand was cold. I didn't want him to be uncomfortable," I shrugged, feeling rather embarrassed at the way she was watching me, like she'd caught me doing something interesting. I couldn't imagine what she'd do if she could hear the things I thought about.

"Thank you," she offered softly, "For taking such good care of him at night." She sent me a grateful smile, before glancing down at the still form of Laxus.

_Why was she thanking me? Shouldn't she be angry with me?_ I was the reason Laxus was all laid out on this bed, his body so still, you had to look hard to make sure he was breathing. It would make more sense to me if she hated me, but I could find no sign of the emotion in her eyes.

Turning to her companion, I found his eyes were watching my face with interest, and once again, I found myself tongue-tied. I didn't know these people. Hell, I didn't even know Laxus, and that thought pierced my heart, breaking the rigid hold I had on myself in front of them, and a tear slid down my face unwanted.

I spun around quickly and wiped it away, composing myself before returning to Laxus's side to say goodbye. My eyes flicked up to their intrigued faces, then back down to the blonde man lying there before me. I leaned down, speaking in what I hoped was a soft enough tone to avoid them hearing me, "I have to go now, Laxus, but I'll be back tonight, I promise. Please stay safe."

Pulling back, I moved to the door, but was stopped by Bixlow's voice, "We'll make sure he's okay, Lucy. Just concentrate on finishing up your mission and getting back in one piece."

I came to a standstill in the doorway, not turning around as my eyes had filled at the thought of being gone again. I gave a quick nod, mumbling a small, "Thanks," and continued on through the door.

* * *

I headed for the train station, torn between anxiety over leaving Laxus behind again and excitement over the information I might learn from Freed about the man who loved me. I desperately wanted to know Laxus, and though I knew this was a golden opportunity to do so, I still hated the thought of being away from him once again.

Anything could happen while I was gone, something could go wrong, and I wouldn't be here to tell him to fight. There would be no saying goodbye this time if something happened while Freed and I were away. The idea of never telling him how much I wanted to know him hit me, filling my heart with fear.

I didn't even realize I had stopped moving forward until Freed called out to me from several feet ahead, his head cocked to the side in question. He stuck out his hand, beckoning to me with a small reassuring smile. In his face, I could see understanding, and it helped that he knew what was going through my mind.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, grasping his hand tightly. I moved to walk beside him, and he gave my hand a little squeeze, causing the tightness in my chest to ease a bit. It was like he'd sent a small bit of his surety into me through the connection, and just that measure of borrowed strength calmed my nerves. I couldn't help but feel a surge of appreciation for Freed's appearance in my life, for the sense of kinship I felt towards him in the midst of this horrible situation.

I knew, without a doubt, that I would never have gotten through any of this if he hadn't been there for me. No one else could understand my sudden attachment to Laxus, and I couldn't find it in myself to explain it to them. I couldn't bear to share something so personal about Laxus while he was unable to grant his permission.

He deserved to make that decision. I couldn't just tell everyone his secret, something he'd kept so closely to himself, something only his dearest friends were privy to. I had hurt him enough as it was, never paying him any mind when he had loved me from afar for so long, and I wasn't about to do anything to harm him again.

It didn't matter that he wasn't awake to know about it or stop me. It only mattered that he loved me, and I would be worthy of that love by keeping it to myself, deep within my heart. I would guard it closely, taking it to my grave if necessary. If he awoke one day, he'd know I was loyal to him, that I hadn't betrayed him with his deepest secret.

I shook my head, pushing the possibly fictional day from my mind. I didn't know what would happen if he ever woke up. I couldn't think about it too much, because if I let myself think that he would some day soon open his eyes, I'd start to believe it.

I'd put my whole being into hoping for it, and then if it didn't happen, it would kill me. It would eat away at me, every day a little piece of me wasting away as I sat there beside him, waiting for him to come back, to open his stormy eyes and smile at me. No, I couldn't bear the devastation of getting my hopes up, only to watch my wish be crushed before me.

Reaching the entrance to the train, I paused, turning my eyes back in the direction of the guild, and feeling a tug on my hand, I took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold, closing my eyes on the sight of the doors closing behind me as Freed led me to an empty booth.

"You doing okay?" Freed asked, settling in the seat beside me.

"I don't want to be doing this," I said, looking over at him, then back down to my clasped hands. My knuckles were white with tension, and I sighed, "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to do a job with you. I just..."

He reached over to separate my hands, and supplied, "You just don't want to leave Laxus again. I understand. I don't want to go either, but he has obligations. I can't sit there and let everything he's worked for be taken away from him."

"Oh Freed, I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have brought me. I didn't know you were going on this mission to get money for Laxus," I apologized quickly, as guilt took another stab at me. I felt so useless. I was being no help to anyone, if anything, I was becoming a burden. He was trying to take care of Laxus, and here he was, having to help me too. It just wasn't right.

"Lucy, we've been over this," he admonished, "No more apologies. Laxus would want us to be there for each other, to support each other, so we will do this job together. You will pay your rent, I will pay Laxus's bills, and I don't want to hear anything more on the subject."

I shook my head at him, "Freed, Laxus needs you right now. You don't need to be worrying about me. I should be standing on my own feet, pulling my own weight, and I'm not. I can't take part of the reward from this mission. That would mean less to be used for Laxus's care, and I refuse to do that."

His face went still, his eyes flashing with emotion as he spoke quietly, "I will not repeat myself again, Lucy, so you had best listen to me very well. I do not take an insult to my friend lightly, even if that insult comes from my friend herself. I will listen to no more of that nonsense. We are all in a bad place right now, and we must work together to do what's best for Laxus. It would not ease his mind for you to be stressed about your home or for us to be carrying on like this."

His voice was low and hard, and I flinched a bit at the unexpected anger. It was the first time he'd ever spoken so roughly to me, and I couldn't but feel ashamed. He was right. I had always been hard on myself, always feeling like a failure when I wasn't able to do things on my own, without anyone's help.

Before I could apologize once again, he spoke again, gentler this time, "I'm sorry. Ever since Fantasia happened, I can't seem to stop myself from saying what's on my mind. I've been haunted with the thought that if I had only expressed my concerns to Laxus when he had first started talking about taking over the guild, maybe I could have convinced him to stop, before we all did something we regret. Still, that is not reason enough to bite your head off in such a way. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive. You were right. We shouldn't be wasting our energy arguing about who should be doing what. Laxus's needs should be first in our minds, not my pride or guilt. I'm sorry," I returned, smiling ruefully as I continued, "Part of the reason I came on this mission was so you could tell me about Laxus, and here I am, wasting time insisting I can take care of myself. I could have been using that time to learn about your best friend."

His face brightened, his earlier piqué wiped away with my words. "I'm glad to hear it. Now, what would you like to know about our illustrious leader?"

I smiled lightly at his description. It was easy to see how much Laxus meant to him, and the thought increased my desire to hear all about the man who'd declared his love me. "Everything," I answered quickly, "I want to know everything."


	8. Deathsembrace137's Chapter - 8

**~~~~AUTHOR'S NOTE~~~~**

Okay, so for **Chapter 8**, so check out **Deathsembrace137**'s page!

*******_It wouldn't let me post the whole link so add the site address for fanfiction before what you see below_*******

Add website address before this:** s/9475536/8/Stay-With-Me**


	9. Everything Is Gone

_And the wait for answers is over! Aren't you so glad? lol Thanks for all the faves, follows, and reviews. You guys are the best! Also thanks to the other half of this duo, **Deathsembrace137**. I couldn't have done this story without her - she's amazing!_

* * *

_**Hiro Mashima** owns Fairy Tail._

* * *

**CHAPTER 9: EVERYTHING IS GONE**

I approached the group slowly, the thick tang of apprehension filling my throat to the point that I nearly gagged. My airways closed, and I found myself gripping Freed's hand with a strength I hadn't known I possessed. Glancing over, I found his face stark with fear, his skin quickly losing its color as he latched onto me just as tightly.

Master looked up at our approach, his expression riddled with uncertainty, and eyeing the others around him, I found theirs to be just as worried. My heart clenched in my chest, dread spilling over as we moved the last few feet to reach them. I opened my mouth, desperately needing to know if Laxus was alright, but the words refused to form, leaving me to gape foolishly.

Finally, Freed found his voice, asking the question that had begged to be asked, "What's wrong? Is Laxus alright?"

My teeth gnashed at the flesh of my lip, my anxiety rising as Makarov and Porlyusica shared a pointed look, and then the old woman began speaking, "There's been no change for the moment."

My breath left in a rush at her words, the tenseness seeping from my shoulders, and finally I could put thought to words. "Thank Mavis he's okay." Turning to Freed, I found his body still tight with tension, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. _What was wrong?_ The thought had barely flit through my mind, when I realized how she'd phrased it - for the moment. _What was that supposed to mean?_

Once again Freed was the one to speak our shared concerns. "What do you mean, for the moment?"

Makarov stepped forward, answering, "Porlyusica and Wendy have come up with a technique they believe will aid in waking Laxus up."

"That's wonderful news!" I cried, feeling my eyes well with tears. _Could it really be true? Was this nightmare about to be over?_

"Then why do you all look so nervous?" Freed questioned, his jaw flexing as he grit his teeth together.

A kernel of doubt crept into my mind as they each began to shift in place, their discomfort almost palpable. _Something wasn't right. Why would they act like that if everything was okay? _

"T-there's a chance it might not work," Wendy began timidly, her fingers tangling in her hair anxiously, "And there c-could be complications."

"Complications? What kind of complications?" I asked. That kernel of doubt was growing by the moment, edging towards full-blown panic.

Evergreen flashed me a look of fear, her eyes peeking out sharply from behind her glasses. "They've never done this procedure before."

"That much is true," Porlyusica agreed brusquely, her voice matter-of-fact as she frowned at having her medical judgement questioned. "It is still a viable plan. There is a good possibility that it will do exactly as we hope it will."

"But what are the risks? What could go wrong?" I asked hesitantly.

Wendy shifted uneasily beside the older woman and answered, "He could have a bad reaction to the potion or I may not be able to heal the damaged areas quickly enough."

Freed turned his intelligent eyes onto the young girl, which seemed to make her even more nervous. "A bad reaction like what?"

"We aren't entirely certain of that. It could be any number of things," the unsociable woman returned, her tone indicating her impatience. "We need to get started, Makarov."

"Wait! Why are we doing this, when you don't even know what it could do to him?" I said hastily. This was moving too fast. We shouldn't be rushing things like this. Laxus's life was hanging in the balance, and we couldn't afford to get this wrong. What if whatever they wanted to do made his condition even worse?

Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen all nodded their agreement, finding my argument to be perfectly sound. None of us liked the idea of jumping the gun and putting Laxus at risk. What I couldn't figure out was why Laxus's own grandfather was so intent upon allowing it.

Apparently, Freed had the same thought, because not a moment later, he was asking, "Why are you allowing this, Master? Wouldn't it be better to let his body recover on its own than to do something that neither of our healers is certain will work? I mean, they cannot even say what could happen if something goes wrong."

The wizened old man shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, when Porlyusica quieted him, drawing our attention back to her. "This was my call, and it's the right one. We cannot wait any longer. We must attempt this now. If he stays in that coma, we could lose him completely. His mind is almost certainly inactive right now, and when that happens, it can begin to deteriorate. He can't stay in that coma for too much longer without running the risk of losing the parts of himself that make up who he is."

Freed and I exchanged a similar look of horror at that. We had foolishly thought the danger lay in him never waking up, never once considering that it could be just as dangerous for him to stay as he was. If everything she said was true, then we had no choice. We would have to try, and pray like hell that it would work.

"I realize it's not a fool-proof plan, but it's the best we've got." She paused for a moment as if deciding something, and then she offered roughly, "We wouldn't be doing this if I didn't believe it was necessary."

* * *

Porlyusica moved to the head of the bed, little Wendy situating herself across from her on the other side, her demeanor already changing from the timid little girl to the serious look of a seasoned healer. Makarov, Freed, and I stood off to the side, far from the bed, as instructed by the old woman. It had been her only condition to the three of us being present, well that and that we were to keep our mouths shut.

She had kicked Bixlow and Evergreen from the room, ignoring their shouts of protest, deeming the idea of more people preposterous. I had been ready to bow out for one of them to take my place - after all, they were his team mates, his friends - but the order had come from Freed, and strangely the others hadn't argued when the man shoved me through the doors. I had expected them to be angry, but a glance back had shown me there were no hard feelings, only acceptance.

Still, it didn't feel right for me to take their place. They should have been here with their leader. I said as much to Freed, but he gave me a stern look, quelling any further thought of voicing my disagreement.

"Alright, let's do it," Porlyusica announced, nodding to her assistant as she began drawing a deep red solution up into a needle.

Wendy moved closer to the bed, lifting her hands to the side of Laxus's head, and announced her readiness with a short jerk of her head. The older woman took a deep breath and angled Laxus's head aside, her voice coming out stiff, telling us what she was doing, "Now, I'm going to inject this directly into his spinal column. It will head straight to his brain, where it will seep into the tissue, coating it in a magical stain if you will."

Reaching her hand to the back of his neck, Porlyusica pressed nimble fingers between the disks of his spine, and continued, "This stain will relax the area, numbing it a bit, but the real importance is highlighting the damaged areas. For whatever reason, Wendy has been unable to pinpoint the exact location, so this will put what is virtually a neon sign on it, so she can find it and heal it. This should take care of the swelling, and theoretically help him wake up."

The needle lifted, pressing into his body, and unconsciously, my hand found its way back to Freed, holding on tightly as we waited to see what would happen. I felt an answering tug from him, and I prayed, my eyes locked onto the two healers and the man I'd been longing for. A part of me wanted to hope, to believe that it would work out, that he would open his eyes and everything would be as it should.

I wanted to have faith, in Porlyusica and Wendy, in the possibility of him waking up, in life being kind, but life had taught me long ago to be cautious. I kept that hope locked firmly inside me, deep inside the vault of my heart, and there it would stay until Laxus opened his eyes. I just couldn't afford to dream, not when I was so close to either getting everything I wanted or losing the man I very well might love.

A push of the needle, and there was no going back, no calling a halt to the procedure. There was no stopping it now. We could only watch as Wendy's eyes closed in concentration, her hands lighting up with her magic, and hold on to each other. The small girl's brows furrowed, her teeth clenching determinedly, and for a second, everything seemed fine. Then it all went downhill.

"Porlyusica, something's wrong! I can see the problem, but something's...not right," Wendy squeaked, her voice tense and unsure.

Freed froze beside me, his body going taut against mine. I latched onto his arm with my other hand, my eyes beginning to fill with tears as I fought not to run toward the bed and the still form of Laxus.

In the next instant, Wendy's eyes popped open and she shrieked out a warning, "He's seizing!"

She reached small hands out to her patient, and then Laxus began to convulse, his body thrashing so wildly, he nearly slipped off the bed. I watched through watery vision as Porlyusica began barking out orders, using her body to prevent Laxus from going over her side of the bed.

_No, no, no..._ The word repeated over and over again in my head, my mind refusing to believe I was seeing. I thought I had accepted that things could go very wrong, but nothing couldn't have prepared me for this. I tried to move forward - I had to get to him. I knew if I could just get to him, everything would be okay, but something stopped me.

I whipped my head around to see Freed holding onto my hand, his face white with fear, his eyes large in his face. I yanked on my arm, needing him to let go, but he wouldn't release his grip. Didn't he understand? I had to go help Laxus. I couldn't stay here, because if I stayed across the room from Laxus, I'd have to accept the truth.

I couldn't lose him now, not when I had just realized how much I wanted to be with him. Freed tugged at my hand, easing me back towards him, and I whimpered, shaking my head slowly. He said nothing, but he gave me that look, the one that said there was nothing I could do, the one that spoke of helplessness. And I couldn't hold it in anymore.

A small sound slipped out, just a hint of a cry, but just that one sound seemed to open the floodgates, and suddenly I found myself sobbing. He pulled me the rest of the way ,and I fell into his arms, slumping against him like he was the last solid thing in the world. I buried my face into his shoulder, no longer able to watch as Laxus was subjected to such violent spasms.

It was like his body was in full revolt, his muscles contracting in a way that had to be painful. He would hate this, all of us seeing this sudden loss of control, and I couldn't help but wonder if the man I cared about would still be in there when this was all over. The thought of his consciousness, everything that was Laxus, disappearing like that scared me.

Was he even now slipping away into the darkness, his mind not knowing what was happening? Or was he in there, fighting to come back, completely aware of what was going on around him? The idea of him trapped inside his own mind, knowing his body was betraying him, keeping him prisoner like that cut into me. It stabbed into my aching heart, and I wailed.

I wanted to rage at unfairness of it all, scream at the top of my lungs, beg someone - anyone to stop this, but there was nothing to be done. We couldn't save him from this. We'd already tried, and now we had failed. The incredible man who had proclaimed his love for me with his dying breath was over there, his body in complete upheaval, and there was nothing I could do to help him.

* * *

_The world faded around me. Well, this world did anyway. I knew enough to realize this was most likely all in my mind, but although I understood all that, it didn't make me less nervous. I hated when it got like this, nothing as far as the eye could see. Though, if this was all in my head, then there was no as far as the eye could see. _

_It was pretty easy to see what had happened. I'd assumed I was on my way out when I took that hit for Lucy, but I guess I was wrong. Lucy...God, what I'd give to see her right now. I'd finally told her how I felt about her. How ironic it was that I did it thinking I was dying, and here I was, still alive, but locked inside my head. _

_Another irony. I'd spent so much time in the past thinking of nothing but myself, believing myself to be better than anyone, and now, I was stuck with myself. Talk about your perfect payback._

_I had no idea how long I had been like this. I had only caught snatches of conversations going on around me, but I figured it had been a while. Of course, there was no way to know for certain considering I couldn't tell day from night. _

_My thoughts returned as they always did to Lucy. How was she doing? There were times when I was certain I'd heard her voice. Sometimes, she would whisper, and I couldn't make out what she'd said. Other times, she would cry, and I'd fight with everything I had to go to her, nearly screaming with frustration when I couldn't. Still, her voice was a beacon in the dark for me, a way of knowing she was still out there._

_I couldn't help but wonder why she was beside me so much. I had backed away long ago and left her in Natsu's care. The two were so close, and though it pained me to watch, I wanted Lucy to be happy. If Natsu could do that for her, then how could I interfere? _

_But now, I was left with questions about her presence. I loved that she was near me, loved to hear her soft voice, but I just didn't understand why. Why did she spend so much time with me? Why did she cry so much? _

_Could she feel something for me? _

_Suddenly a sharp pain lanced through my head and the world rocked around me. I couldn't breathe, couldn't feel anything else. The pain was just too much. A scream ripped from my throat, the sound deafening as I clutched at my head._

_I could vaguely hear a woman yelling out for someone to hold me down, but I couldn't understand. I didn't need anyone to hold me down. I needed the pain to go away. A jolt of fire shot through my head, and I bellowed again, unable to stop the agonized sound. Never before had I ever felt something like this. So much pain._

_I was in agony, the pain shooting though me in hot arcs. I just wanted it to stop. I just wanted to sink into oblivion until I felt nothing at all, but it seemed so hopeless. _

_And then, I heard that voice, the one that never failed to calm me. Her voice. Lucy. _

_She was crying again, her words broken, tearful. "Laxus...don't leave me. Please..."_

_It swept over me like a wave of refreshing water, cooling the heat, easing the pressure in my head. I could finally breathe again, and as the pain slowly seeped out of my body, the world stilled. Her voice had soothed the storm inside me. _

_Lucy..._

_I wanted to see her again, tell her how much I loved her and missed her, but I was trapped here...in hell. Having her so close to me, yet never able to reach out and touch her was torture. I wanted to tell her to wait for me, that I was in here, but she couldn't hear me. She could never hear me._

_The world swam around me, and I knew the darkness was coming. It would come, and I'd be lost again. I fought for more time. I could hear her. She was so close, and I didn't want to leave again. I wanted to be free from this place, free to love her, to be with her. _

_I swore to myself, if I could just get out of here, I'd tell her. I'd tell her everything. How I'd loved her for so long, how much I'd wanted her. I just had to make it out. But it was no use. I wasn't going anywhere. _

_The lights flickered like lightning in the night sky, and I knew I was done. It would take me away from her again. I had just enough time to wonder if I'd ever escape, ever see her again, and then everything was gone. _


	10. Deathsembrace137's Chapter - 10

**~~~~AUTHOR'S NOTE~~~~**

Okay, so for **Chapter 10**, so check out **Deathsembrace137**'s page!

*******_It wouldn't let me post the whole link so add the site address for fanfiction before what you see below_*******

Add website address before this:** s/9475536/10/Stay-With-Me**


End file.
